XXXVI. This psalm consists of three distinctly defined stanzas of nearly equal length. The first portrays the wicked man who has reached the lowest grade of impiety. The second exalts the goodness and justice of God. The third, which is, in a sort, a practical application of the others, expresses, u... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE WICKED SAITH WITHIN MY HEART... — The literal rendering of the present Hebrew text is, _An utterance of sin to the wicked within my heart._ The common phrase rendered in our version, “Thus saith Jehovah,” is here imitated, “Thus saith sin.” “To the wicked” cannot, as some ex... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE FLATTERETH... — Literally, _For he_ (or, _it_)_ makes smooth to him in his eyes to find out his evil to hate._ (See margin.) A sentence of great difficulty. We must seek for the key to the interpretation of these words in the balance of the two phrases, “before his eyes,” “in his own eyes,” a... [ Continue Reading ]
From the secret promptings of sin, the description of the ungodly passes on to its issues in words and deeds. It is an awful picture of wickedness of a man abandoning himself without check or remorse to the inspiration of his own evil heart. He goes from bad to worse. In a great English tragedy, the... [ Continue Reading ]
THY MERCY, O LORD, IS IN... — Better, Jehovah, to the heavens (reacheth) thy grace, Thy faithfulness to the sky. _i.e.,_ there are no narrower bounds of divine mercy and truth.... [ Continue Reading ]
GREAT MOUNTAINS. — See margin, and compare Psalms 80:10, “cedars of God.” So too the rain is called “God’s brook.” The epithet not only implies greatness and dignity, but also has reference to God as Creator. A GREAT DEEP. — The reference, as usual, with the words _deep, depth,_ is to the great aby... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW EXCELLENT. — Better, _how precious._ THEREFORE... — Better, the simple conjunction, _and sons of men, they find shelter,_ &c SHADOW OF THY WINGS. — See Psalms 17:8, Note.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL BE ABUNDANTLY SATISFIED. — Better, in order to preserve the parallelism, literally, _They shall drink to the full._ LXX. and Vulg., “They shall be intoxicated with,” &c FATNESS, therefore, is not here the fat of the sacrificial offerings, but the stream of grace flowing from above, to en... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THY LIGHT. — Better, _by thy light._ This wonderful verse inspired Milton’s sublime invocation: “The author of all being, Fountain of light, thyself invisible Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sitt’st.” It contains the germ of that moral and spiritual teaching which had its highest deve... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FOOT OF PRIDE... THE HAND OF THE WICKED. — The one tramples on the lowly; the other is full of violence. REMOVE. — Better, _expel,_ but we have no indication from where. Perhaps from the Temple.... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE..._ — Of place._ The poet has some definite incident in his mind, but has not told enough for us to identify it.... [ Continue Reading ]